HELP!!!!!!! CONFUSSED!!!!!!!!!!

  I have had the band for 5.5 years now, had major plastic surgery ( lower body lift) a year after I lost all my weight 112 lbs totally , i have been having issues with my esophigus and went to my bariatric sergeon, he told me I may have a slipped band and it will need to come out...Im having a upper GI study next week to be sure thats what the problem is, he also told me after 6 weeks of the band being out I can get another band or the sleeve, he really reccomends the sleeve because he feels this is a more natural way of eating, WHAT SHOULD I DO???? Im not really familiar with the sleeve, but have lived with a band for 5.5 years and know how to live with it....HELP ME PLEASE!!!!!!!!

Once you have had one slipped band and have it repositioned or replaced, your chances are greatly increased for future slips which could mean more surgeries for more repairs/replacements. That doesn't sound like much fun to me.

I would go with the sleeve if it were me (of course, when it was me, I chose the sleeve, lol...I'm a band revision). In my experience with both, the sleeve is a far more natural way of eating. I love it.

Come check out the VSG forum to become familiar with the sleeve. We have some great veterans there who always love to help!

Best of luck to you and congrats on all your success!!!
Lindsey

A lot of doctors are recommending the sleeve over the band. I'd research a lot... read the VSG board constantly.  Google Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy and read everything... good and bad. If you know how to live with the band, the sleeve should be a no-brainer, honestly. 

If you have a band slip and opt for another band, you'll be almost guaranteed to have another surgery down the road to repair the band. (I had multiple corrective surgeries with the band and I've witnessed dozens of others have the same issues over the last 9 years.)

Best of luck to you. I hope everything goes well.

edited to add: Didn't you say that you were aspirating food into your lungs the other day? You saw your doc yesterday, right?  Why would you possibly WANT another band when you've gone through this and have seen what can and does happen?  You realize your surgeon doesn't want to revise to another surgery during band removal because he knows how bad it is to remove a band that isn't working properly, right? The band adheres to other organs and tissue and to remove those adhesions isn't a pretty sight.

You seem to be having a really rough time and I hope you'll calm down enough to read and research. You need to be proactive with your health, especially when you're having as many complications as you are right now. Get ALL information so you can be prepared.

Go on the VSG forum and ask about it. Also get feedback about how the VSG'ers that are more than a yr. out like their VSG. You will find almost all are quite happy with it as opposed to bandsters that have had their bands that long!!!

Hmm, must be a bad slip to require surgery. My slip was cured by a complete unfill and 6-week rest period.

I can't comment on whether the sleeve is a more "natural" way of eating. If I had to have my band removed, I'd have to think hard about getting another band after that because I'd be afraid of recurrence of whatever problem caused the removal. The sleeve is getting to be a very popular WLS now and you can get plenty of feedback about it on the OH sleeve forum, but the best source of medical information about it is your own surgeon.

Good luck!
Jean

As the others say. After a serious band slip, there seems to be a greater chance of recurrence. Now whether this applies with a totally new band I don't know. I would go with professional medical advice.

If I ever lose my band I will either get another or have nothing. But that is just me! I think most people would say sleeve!

Kate

The sleeve is an awesome thing and if I could, I'd get it in a heartbeat! My surgeons don't even like to do the band anymore because it just doesn't work the way they were told and it has more problems than anyone ever expected with it. I'd say go for the sleeve!